A major blaze gutted three buildings, housing shops, godowns and flats in the central business district of Burrabazaar in Kolkata.
The blaze completely destroyed one of the buildings before it could be controlled after an eleven-hour battle by 30 fire tenders, Director General of Fire Services Balkar Singh, overseeing operations, said.
Twenty-five people who were trapped inside were rescued by the fire brigade. They received minor burns.
The fire-fighters had a tough time containing the flames as the godowns were stocked with cotton and woollens, with liquified petroleum gas cyclinders in the building also exploding, causing the fire to spread swiftly, he added.
The building that was destroyed had been declared unsafe by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation only six months ago, Mayor-in-Council Swapan Samaddar said. But he said the municipal body did not have the power to evacuate such buildings.
At least 100 persons who lived in the buildings were left with nothing. They have been given temporary shelter at nearby dharamshalas.
Burrabazaar Chamber of Commerce president M L Khaitan claimed that the ownership of the building had changed hands only six months ago and alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the blaze.
Tension prevailed in the area as residents complained that the fire brigade had arrived late. Police resorted to a minor lathicharge to disperse the agitated people, who were protesting against the late arrival of fire brigade personnel, sources said.
The situation in the area was under control with a contingent of police deployed to maintain order, Deputy Commissioner of Police Zulfikar Hasan said.
Legislator Tapas Roy alleged that the fire was part of a conspiracy, since Manohar Das Katra, another big wholesale market, was similarly devastated about a year ago. He demanded an inquiry.
A five-member committee will probe the Burrabazaar fire that destroyed property worth crores of rupees, West Bengal Fire Services Minister Proteem Chatterjee said. The committee will consist of senior officials of the KMC, the fire services department and the police. A forensic probe into the incident had also been ordered, he said.
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